Name of organisation Audit completed by Designation Date Recommendations 1. Is there promotion of insulin as a high risk medicine in your organisation? 2. Does your organisation promote use of the word units in full instead of the dangerous abbreviation u in prescriptions for insulin? 3. Do policies and culture exist to support staff who question potentially unsafe or ambiguous prescriptions? 4. Do guidelines exist for monitoring and responding to blood glucose levels at the bedside? Blood glucose monitoring has been reviewed and is documented in a standard way Guidelines for responding to hypoglycaemia are available and current If yes, include evidence. If no, indicate planned actions to mitigate risk. Examples of evidence Audit of promotional material. Staff Survey Prescribing or abbreviations policy Audit of prescriptions Relevant prescribing, bullying and harassment policies Reported incidents Approved blood glucose monitoring guidelines Audit of BGL recording Guidelines for management of hypoglycaemia 5. Do guidelines for insulin use exist in your organisation? Do these include information on Formulations & delivery devices Pen cartridges are for single patient use only Storage for ward stock Storage for individual patient use Labelling Delivery devices Common insulin doses Insulin dosing during fasting and enteral feeding Dose validation for unusual doses Standardised sliding scale if this practice is used or Algorithm for supplemental insulin doses Approved insulin guidelines 1
Recommendations An organisational approach to self administration of insulin If yes, include evidence. If no, indicate planned actions to mitigate risk. Examples of evidence 6. Are educational materials used to increase awareness of the range and names of insulin products available? 7. Has the range of insulins stored in clinical areas been reviewed? All insulin products stored on wards are routinely used Different insulins stored in separate, clearly identified containers Insulins are removed from their outer packaging when stored in clinical areas TALLman lettering is used to differentiate products Photographs of products have been used on containers storing insulin Available educational materials Audit of clinical areas Audit of insulin storage area 8. Have 100 unit syringes been removed from wards? Syringes for doses greater than 50 units are supplied on a named patient basis following dose verification Insulin policy or guidelines Audit of insulin syringes 2
Recommendations 9. Do patients receive appropriate education, and insulin delivery devices for home administration? Competence is assessed prior to discharge Patients are involved in insulin administration and monitoring If yes, include evidence. If no, indicate planned actions to mitigate risk. Examples of evidence Insulin administration competency tool Patient survey 3
Action Plan Insert recommendation for implementation (Identified from audit tool) Actions required to implement recommendation Person responsible Date for completion Insert further lines if necessary 4
Governance Recommendation 1. Does a formal process exist for approving guidelines, prescription order forms and flow sheets before use in your organisation? If no, indicate what actions (if any) are planned Person Responsible 2. Are insulin guidelines and procedures part of your organisation s training programmes? Are they included in orientation and continuing education sessions for relevant clinical staff? 3. Has the competency of medical, nursing and pharmacy staff been assessed in their roles and responsibilities for insulin therapy? 4. Is effective communication provided to all relevant staff regarding changes to insulin formulations stocked or guidelines and processes for documenting orders and blood results? 5. Is there a reporting process designed to capture insulin errors and near misses in your organisation? Are reported events used to develop error prevention strategies? 5
Overall comments and actions recommended by clinical governance Person responsible: Signature: Date: Next audit review date: 6